


Best Friends

by Larry_Klaine_Stylinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-06
Updated: 2013-04-06
Packaged: 2017-12-07 15:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/749852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson/pseuds/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry meets Louis when he's five years old, and he and the slightly older boy quickly become inseparable friends. But what happens when Harry realizes he's gay and has feelings for Louis, and Louis ends up getting himself a girlfriend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a prompt fill on Tumblr.

Harry had just finished his first day of Kindergarten, and his mummy had agreed to take him to the park if he was good, so he had made sure to be extra nice to everyone all day, and he didn't take the play-doh from that little girl during art even though he really really wanted it. So when his mum came to pick him up she asked if he'd been good, and he didn't even have to tell a little fib when he said yes because he had been really really good all afternoon.

They were on their way to the park now, and it was nice out. It was early Fall, so it was just beginning to get cold, and Harry had on a lightweight jumper over his Superman t-shirt and he was pretty sure he was going to be the coolest kid on the playground today, because not only did he have a Superman shirt, but he was a big kid now. Kindergarten was a big deal, really. It meant you were cooler than all the kids in preschool.

His mum parked the car and he quickly unbuckled his seat belt, climbing out and running off towards the swings.

"Be careful, Harry!" His mum called after him.

He ignored her, running faster and hopping onto the swing, pumping his legs to get a nice speed and height going. He liked swinging, the feel of the wind in his face, blowing his curls around and making his eyes water a bit. He looked up at the sky and felt as if he was flying. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and there were a few soft white clouds floating around, and he closed his eyes, breathing in the early Autumn air and letting it fill his tiny lungs.

"Ouch!" Harry heard someone's voice as his feet collided with something.

He opened his eyes, spying a little boy on the ground and tried to stop the swing as quickly as he could, hopping off and dropping down next to the other boy.

"Are you okay?!" He asked, worried.

"Dunno. You kicked me in the shoulder, I think."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Harry said quickly, partially because he was afraid he'd hurt the other boy, and partially because he was afraid his mum was going to tell him he had to leave, because kicking someone and knocking them over certainly didn't count as being a good little boy.

The other boy sat up slowly, stretching his shoulder out and then he stood up, brushing some dirt from his knees. He was wearing shorts, and Harry wondered if he was chilly at all. It was sunny out, so maybe he wasn't.

"I think I'm alright, Curly." The little boy said.

"Hey!" Harry said indignantly. "My name's not Curly." He pouted.

"Look at your hair, though! You've gotta be Curly."

"I'm Harry." Harry stomped his foot.

"Well, I'm Louis. But you can call me Dirt-Knees." He grinned.

"I'd rather call you Louis." Harry shrugged.

"You're no fun, Harry. Anyone ever tell you that?"

Harry pouted, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm a big kid. You can't say mean things to me."

"Oh, yeah?" Louis asked. "How old are you, Curly?"

"Harry." He corrected. "And I'm five."

"Five?" Louis questioned. "I'm a whole seven years old."

"No way!" Harry said.

"Mhhm." Louis nodded. "But we can be friends, if you'd like. I won't be mean to you just because you're little."

Harry pouted, but nodded his head.

"C'mon! Want me to teach you how to climb the big kid tree?"

"Yeah!" Harry yelled, and Louis took off running, Harry following close behind.

"Okay, put your foot here." Louis pointed to a small groove in the tree. "Once you get up there you should be able to reach the branches and the rest is easy."

Harry stuck his foot in the little hole, lifting himself up and grabbing on to a large branch, hoisting himself up onto it. He continued to climb until he was way high up. Higher than he'd ever been.

He looked down, and he was a little scared, but then he saw Louis climbing up to meet him and his nerves subsided a little.

Louis sat next to him on the branch, kicking his legs a little and smiling over at the younger boy, "Nice, isn't it?"

Harry nodded, "S'a little scary." Harry mumbled.

"You afraid of heights, Curly?"

"No!" Harry huffed, not bothering to correct the boy on his name again.

"I think you are." Louis said. "It's okay, though. I won't let you fall. Promise." He flung an arm around Harry's shoulder, and Harry felt admittedly safer.

"Thanks, Louis." Harry smiled.

"I think we're going to be best friends, Harry."

Harry smiled, because Louis had used his real name, "Mhhm." He nodded, kicking his feet happily.

000

Three years passed and Louis' words reigned true. He and Harry had in fact become best friends. He was ten now, and Harry himself was eight. They were sitting in Harry's living room, eating sandwiches and watching Scooby Doo, which Louis had complained he was too old for, but Harry knew he loved it, or else he would have just sat on Harry until he let him change the channel.

It was their last day of Summer vacation, and they were both reluctant to go back to school. They felt that way at the end of every Summer, but once school started back up it got easier. They remembered how much they loved it and how much they enjoyed spending time with their other friends, but they only really got to see each other on the weekends during the school year, and they both hated that.

Harry thought that maybe he hated it a bit more than Louis.

"Hey, Lou?"

"Yeah, Curly?"

The nickname had stuck, and it had grown on Harry eventually.

"I'm gonna miss you once school starts."

"I'll see you every weekend, Haz. Just like every year." Louis said, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders. "But I'm gonna miss you, too."

Harry smiled at Louis' admission and took a big bite of his sandwich, the peanut butter sticking to the roof of his mouth and causing him a slight panic before Louis handed him his milk. He took a big swig, helping to clean the roof of his mouth from the sticky substance.

"How'd you know?" Harry asked.

"Saw that panic in your eyes. Been there, done that. Peanut butter is a scary thing."

"Shut up, Lou." Harry laughed.

000

Two more years passed, and Harry was ten now, and Louis was twelve. Louis was nearly a teenager, and Harry was afraid he'd stop wanting to spend time with him. That maybe their bond was finally going to end. He knew Louis cared about him, but he also knew that teenagers didn't really like kids.

Louis' birthday was one week from today, and Harry was just praying he'd be invited to the party and that Louis wouldn't forget about him.

It was a Saturday, and so Louis was meant to come over and spend the entire day.

At noon the doorbell rang and Harry ran to answer it.

"Happy Saturday, Haz!" Louis shouted. "Missed you this week."

"Miss you every week." Harry sighed.

"If you don't get Super Mario out right now I'm going to sit on you until you can't breathe and then I'm going to play without you because you'll be dead."

Harry rolled his eyes at the older boy, going and popping the game into the system in the living room. Louis always beat him at this game and he hated him for it.

Harry sat down on the couch, two controllers in hand, and when Louis sat down next to him, he handed him one of them.

"Get ready to have your butt kicked, Curly!"

"Yeah, yeah." Harry said.

They played for a while, and Harry kept dying. Louis always made Harry be Luigi, which Harry thought was dumb, because the older boy's name was LOU-is, after all. But Louis liked Mario better, and Harry didn't like arguing with Louis, and it wasn't like Luigi was bad, so why not?

Harry's mum came into the room after a bit, smiling at the two of them, "Hi, Louis." She greeted.

"Hey, Anne!" Louis smiled, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"You boys want a snack?"

"Some crisps, please." Louis beamed.

"Sound good to you, Harry?" His mum asked.

"Mhhm." Harry nodded quickly, biting his lip, his brow furrowed in concentration.

He never did win, and soon they turned the game off, opting to watch some stupid cartoon that Harry didn't really like, but nothing else was on.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Louis said, reaching into his pocket and handing Harry an envelope.

Harry took it, opening it and smiling down at the paper, "An invite to your birthday party?!"

"Why do you sound so surprised? You've been there every year since I turned eight."

Harry just shrugged, smiling down at the paper some more.

000

The week passed quickly, and soon Harry was knocking on the front door of the Tomlinson household, holding a rather large wrapped box in his hand, his mum waiting in the car to make sure he got inside safely.

Louis answered the door, waving at Harry's mum, and Harry turned around to wave as well before following Louis into the house.

A few of Louis' other friends had already arrived, and Harry always felt a little weird hanging around them. They were older, but they weren't nice like Louis, and so sometimes they'd say mean things to him. Louis would tell them to shut up, but then they'd just make fun of Louis. Harry was honestly surprised Louis was still friends with him. His friends were mean about it, and Louis shouldn't have to put up with all of that.

"Hiya, Harry." One of Louis' nicer friends greeted.

"Hey." Harry smiled, waving.

The rest of the party guests arrived soon after, and then it was time for games. First up was musical chairs.

Harry happened to be particularly good at this game, and so he always loved when people had it at their parties, because he was bound to win or at least come in second or third.

They all gathered around the chairs, and Louis' mum pressed play on the music. They all walked around the chairs in a big circle, and Harry managed to keep an eye on everyone, as well as the chairs. The music stopped and he was the first to get a seat. Everyone else sat as quickly as possible, until only one person was left standing, and so she was out.

They repeated the process over and over until they were down to just two people, Harry and one of Louis' friends who didn't really like Harry so much. Harry stared him down as they walked around the single chair, and the other boy practically snarled at him. Harry just smiled, wanting to be the nice little boy his mum had raised him to be. When the music stopped he dove for the chair, reaching it just a teeny tiny second before the older boy, and pumping his fists in the air in victory.

"Good one, Haz!" Louis shouted, and the older boy snarled again.

"You're a sore loser." Harry told him.

The older boy just huffed, going to sit down on the couch. Louis' mum Jay looked at Harry, as if to tell him to just ignore the other boy, that he was always a grouch, but Harry knew he was only like this towards him. He wasn't going to let it get to him, though.

They played a few more games and everyone complained that they were too old for them, except Harry, who thoroughly enjoyed them all, because he was ten and what do you really expect from a ten year old? Party games are fun.

After that it was time for presents, and so they all gathered 'round on the living room floor and took turns handing their presents to Louis, who ripped them open and shouted excitedly. He got a few action figures and a NERF gun that he was particularly excited about, but what Harry was waiting for was for Louis to open his gift. Because Louis had been talking about this for ages, and Harry knew he would love it.

His mum handed him Harry's package, and Louis looked at it, "I can tell this one is from Haz, simply because the wrapping looks like crud and I know he always wraps his own presents and these guys bum off their mums." Louis grinned. "I wanna open his last."

Jay nodded, grabbing another present and handing it to Louis. It was from the boy who didn't like Harry much at all, and it was just a stupid football. As if Louis didn't already have twenty of those, Harry thought. He played football with his mates from school all the time.

"Thanks, mate!" Louis smiled. "Alright, Harry's now."

He picked up the gift and unwrapped it, seeing the box of the remote control helicopter he'd been raving about for weeks, "No way, Harry!"

Harry simply smiled, nodding.

"I've been dying for this!"

"I know." Harry grinned.

"I can't believe you really got it for me!"

Harry just shrugged, still smiling.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

It was time for cake then, and they all wolfed it down, as young people do, and then all of the other kids were getting picked up. Once everyone was gone, Harry looked at the clock. It was half past four.

"My invitation said the party went until half past five." Harry said, confused. "Mum won't be here for another hour."

"I know." Louis said. "Sneaky of me, huh?"

"What?"

"I just wanted extra time with you, Curly." Louis said, ruffling Harry's hair.

A wide grin tugged at Harry's lips, "Oh."

"Wanna play with the helicopter?"

"Yeah, obviously!" Harry exclaimed.

"Let's go up to my room then!" Louis yelled.

He grabbed the box and Harry followed him up to his room. They ripped the box open and Louis tried reading the instructions but got too impatient and figured he could figure it out on his own anyhow.

He flew it around the room for a while, swooping down and flying right past Harry's head, causing the younger boy to flinch, which made Louis laugh uncontrollably, the helicopter crashing into the wall and falling to the ground.

"Don't break it!" Harry hollered. "I used my own money on that. Saved up for weeks and weeks."

"Did you really?!" Louis asked.

"Yeah. Presents aren't as fun to give when you let your mum buy them."

"I'm so glad you're my best mate." Louis grinned.

"Me too." Harry said. "I was afraid you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore once you turned thirteen."

"That's stupid." Louis said. "Best mates forever, okay?"

"Yeah, definitely."

000

A little over two years passed, and Harry was turning thirteen today. His mum had told him they couldn't afford a real party, but that he could have three friends over if he wanted. He opted for just one, though; Louis.

The older boy arrived at around one in the afternoon, and they watched a film and had pizza that Anne had made herself, and it was quite delicious. After the film ended, they played a few party games, just for the fun of it, but it was quite boring, really, with just the two of them.

They plopped back down on the couch, and Louis rested his head on Harry's shoulder, and Harry's heart fluttered a bit in his chest. It had been doing that a lot recently, and Harry was getting sick of it.

"What d'you want to do now?" Harry asked, trying to distract himself from the happy little feeling in his chest.

"We could just watch another film." Louis suggested. "Or I could kick your butt at Super Mario."

Harry never had gotten any better at that.

"A film is fine." Harry said, and Louis chuckled.

"Thought so."

Anne popped them some popcorn, but ultimately she was staying out of the way, knowing that since Harry couldn't have a real party, he'd at least want to be left alone with his best mate.

As they watched the film, Louis curled up to Harry's side, and his breath stopped in his chest for a moment. He knew, that between the two of them, he was the only one who felt this way. Louis was just a cuddly kind of guy and when he cozied up to you it just meant that he trusted you. It wasn't like his tummy was twisting up with these stupid feelings.

Harry spent more time thinking than watching the film that time. He'd been doing a lot of thinking lately. And what he ended up deciding was that he was gay. He'd been thinking long and hard about it, and it was just the only thing that made sense. He'd never really fancied any girls. He didn't like talking about boobs like the rest of his friends, and if he was being honest, he was pretty sure he really fancied Louis.

He sighed frustratedly, not meaning for it to actually come out, planning on it being more of an internal sigh. Something he just heard in his own head.

Louis looked at him, "You okay, Haz?"

"Fine." Harry smiled. "Totally fine. Why?"

"Sounded a bit unnerved or something, or maybe a bit annoyed."

"Nope." Harry shook his head. "M'fine. Thanks for checking, though."

"Alright. If you say so, Harry."

After the film was over, Anne brought out a cake and called his sister Gemma down from her room and they all sang to Harry before he blew out the candles, and he wished for his feelings for Louis to go away, because he knew they were futile.

They each gave Harry a present, Anne giving him a cell phone. His first one ever. And sure, it was cheap, but it was a phone, and it was exciting. Gemma gave him something she'd made out of clay in art class, and it looked like a frog, but she told him it was a cat, and he thanked her profusely.

He opened Louis' present, and it was a black leather bracelet with a silver metal bit with the word "Best" inscribed on it. Harry looked up at Louis, a little bit confused, and Louis lifted up his pant leg, showing a matching one around his ankle with the word "Friends."

Harry grinned, hugging Louis tightly before slipping the bracelet on.

"You got the one that says best because you're the best person I've ever met." Louis beamed.

Harry's stomach did a little flip flop, but he ignored it, "Thank you, Lou. I love it. I really love it."

"I'm glad. I was hoping you would."

000

That night, after Louis left, Harry asked his mum and Gemma to sit down in the living room with him.

"So, I've been doing some thinking." He began.

"Oh no." Gemma said. "Don't hurt yourself." She joked.

"Shut up." Harry laughed. "I'm trying to tell you guys something important, okay?"

"Okay, sweetie. Go ahead." Anne prompted.

"Okay, so I've been thinking, because I wanted to make sure I knew for sure before I told you guys, right?"

"Told us what, love?" Anne asked.

Harry took a deep breath, closing his eyes, "That I'm gay." He opened them, looking at his mother and sister to gauge their reaction.

"Oh." Anne said, sounding a little shocked. "Thank you for telling us." She smiled.

"Congrats, baby brother!"

"Congrats?" Harry asked.

Gemma shrugged, "Dunno. I don't know what you're supposed to say to an announcement like this. I'm not really surprised."

"You aren't?"

"Nah." Gemma shook her head. "You're prettier than I am." She smiled, giving him a hug before retreating to her room.

"Mum?"

"I love you no matter what, stop looking so worried." Anne smiled, hugging Harry tightly. "Can't say I really expected it like Gemma, but I've got no problem with it. You know one of my best friends is a lesbian."

"Yeah, but I guess I just thought you might feel differently if it was your own son." Harry shrugged.

"Not a bit. I love you no matter what, Harry. So long as you don't start murdering people."

Harry chuckled, hugging his mother tightly, "Love you, mum."

"Love you, too, baby boy."

000

Another year passed, and Louis was sixteen now. He had his first real girlfriend, and if Harry was being honest, he was jealous.

Louis had been on a few dates in the past, but just, like, bowling with some girl here, and then roller skating with another girl there, and mini golf with someone else a few months after that. He just hopped around a bit, going on various dates with various girls and never really settling down.

But this girl, Emily was her name, they'd been on five dates in the past two weeks. They'd even gone out on Saturday, which was meant to be the day Harry and Louis always spent together. Had been since they'd first become friends.

In fact, Saturday was the day Louis had asked Emily to be his girlfriend.

He'd come over to Harry's on Sunday, beaming with excitement, and told Harry the news. Harry had smiled and told him how happy he was for him, and he must have been convincing, because Louis didn't seem to notice that what Harry was truly feeling was disappointment, sadness, and maybe even a little bit of resentment.

He'd come to terms with the fact that his crush on Louis would never be a mutual thing between the two of them as soon as he'd realized he had one, and so he hadn't expected it to hurt this much when the inevitable time of Louis getting a girlfriend arrived, but it did. It hurt a lot, and Harry was jealous, and maybe a little angry, and Louis was spending less and less time with him, and Harry really didn't want to lose him. He really really didn't.

They'd been friends for nine years now and Harry would be completely and totally lost without Louis.

Louis was spending Saturday with Emily again, and Harry was sitting at home alone watching Skins with Gemma, but that only served to make him feel more lonely, because although Skins was a good show, it was also good at reminding you of how shitty your life was, because everyone on the show had pretty shit lives, and Harry could relate to some of it right now. He sighed, closing his eyes and sending Louis a text, asking him if he'd be coming over tomorrow, to which Louis had replied 'Can't, Haz. Having lunch with Em's mum and dad. Haven't met them yet.'

Harry tossed his phone down on the couch, and Gemma gave him a look, "Something wrong?"

"S'nothing."

Gemma obviously didn't believe him, but to Harry's luck, she dropped it, turning her attention back to the telly where Cassie and Sid were having an argument. Harry liked Cassie. He was pretty sure if he was a character on Skins, he'd be friends with Cassie.

He got up off the couch and trudged up to his room, shutting himself inside and playing some music that only made him sadder yet again, every song that played reminding him of Louis, and fuck this was ridiculous.

000

Three months passed, and Louis was still not spending much time with Harry. They'd spent about seven days together in the three months that had passed, but Louis texted him a lot more often, and although it was better than when Louis' relationship with Emily had first started, Harry still really missed his best friend.

He didn't even care so much about the fact that Louis was dating someone anymore, what he cared about was not getting to spend any time with his best mate.

He texted Louis, 'I miss you.' To which Louis replied, 'Miss you, too.' and then proceeded to cease texting him for the next two days.

Way to make a guy feel missed.

000

Two weeks later and Harry was sitting on the couch with Gemma, she was attempting to talk to him about her boy troubles. She'd been doing that ever since he came out to her, and normally he loved to help, he really did. But the past few months had been hell for him and he was pretty sure his problems were worse than hers at the moment, really.

There was a knock at the door, and Harry stood up, telling Gemma he'd be right back.

He opened the door and Louis was standing there, looking distraught.

"Em and I have broken up." He said, twisting his fingers awkwardly in the hem of his shirt.

"Come in, Lou." Harry said, his brow creasing. "Gem, you'll have to finish your story later. Lou needs me."

He heard Gemma sigh and then a "Sure thing, baby brother."

Harry took Louis by the arm and led him up to his room, "What happened?"

"It's, um. It's a long story." Louis said, standing in the middle of the room, looking uncomfortable.

"You can sit down, Lou. I know you don't come by much anymore, but we're still best friends." Harry said, and they both sat down on Harry's bed. "And I've got time for a long story."

"I'd rather not talk about it." Louis said.

Harry was frustrated. If he didn't want to talk about it, then why was he here? Did he not trust Harry anymore? Harry wasn't the one who had practically removed himself from their friendship.

"Fine." Harry huffed, closing his eyes and lying back on his bed.

"Can I...Can I spend the night? I miss spending time with you." Louis said meekly.

Harry opened his eyes and realized that it was dark out. He didn't know when night had fallen. Gemma must have been rambling to him for longer than he'd thought.

"Sure, Lou. I miss spending time with you, too."

Harry was pretty sure he missed Louis more than Louis missed him, but he trusted Louis' words all the same. Knew that Louis would never lie to him. And besides, why would he ask to spend the night if he didn't miss him?

"Shouldn't you ask your mum?"

"She's missed having you around as much as I have. She'll be fine with it."

"Sorry I haven't been around as much." Louis shrugged. "I know it wasn't cool of me, and I-"

"It's fine." Harry cut him off, not really in the mood for sympathy and stupid apologies.

"Okay." Louis said softly.

They were both quiet for a while, and then Louis was lying down next to him, and Harry stiffened a little at the closeness.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, Lou." Harry said. "I'm not mad."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

000

After dinner Anne made them all sundaes and they sat and watched the telly, though Harry was pretty sure none of them knew what was on except for Gemma. Louis and Anne were talking happily, Anne having missed Louis almost as much as Harry, and Harry was simply staring at Louis, trying to re-memorize the lines of his face after seeing him so little for so long.

After they finished their sundaes, Harry and Louis went back up to Harry's room. They played video games for a few good hours until they were both too tired to keep playing any longer.

They slipped under Harry's covers, both still wearing their clothes, and Harry turned the light off. It was only then that he thought maybe he should get a certain something out in the open, considering they'd be sharing a bed.

"Hey, Lou?"

"Yeah, Curly?" Louis asked, and Harry's heart fluttered. He hadn't been called that in ages.

Harry turned to face him, green eyes meeting blue even in the darkness of the room, "Can I tell you something important?"

"Anything."

"Promise you won't freak out?"

"Promise."

"And you won't leave?"

"Absolutely not." Louis shook his head just a tiny little bit.

"I'm gay." Harry admitted.

Louis was silent for a minute and then, "Oh."

Harry was hoping he'd say more, but nothing else came, "You can...You can take the bed and I'll sleep on the floor if you're uncomfortable, and I'll-"

"Harry." Louis cut him off. "It's okay."

"Really?"

"Mhhm."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. We can still share a bed. Even if you are gay, we're still best friends, and so I don't see why it has to change anything, alright?"

Harry let out a deep sigh, "Thank god."

Louis chuckled.

"I was afraid you'd want to leave. Because, I...Because-"

"Harry, honestly." Louis said. "It's not even a big deal at all. How long have you known?"

"Like...over a year."

"And you never told me?! Harry, we're best mates!"

"I know." Harry said. "I was nervous about it. Only mum and Gem know. I told them the day I was sure of it."

"You should have told me first." Louis huffed.

Harry didn't reply as he began playing with the bracelet on his wrist, the one that said "Best". He hadn't taken it off, even when Louis had been spending all of his time with Emily. He brought his foot down, feeling around on Louis' ankle.

"I'm not playing footsie, I swear." Harry said, when he heard Louis' breath catch slightly. "I was just checking if-"

"It's still there, Haz." Louis said, moving his foot a little so Harry's toe collided with the bracelet Louis had wrapped around his ankle. "It'll always be there."

Harry smiled, sighing happily, and they both closed their eyes, drifting off to sleep with Harry's foot still lightly resting on Louis' ankle.

000

When Harry awoke the next morning, Louis' eyes were on him. He shifted under Louis' intense gaze, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"What?" He asked. "Is there gunk in my eye?"

"No." Louis assured him. "No, just..."

"Just what? Tell me what's wrong with my face, Lou."

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing is wrong with your face. That's the problem, really."

"What?" Harry asked, feeling highly confused.

"Remember what you told me last night?"

"That I'm gay?" Harry asked.

"Mhhm." Louis nodded. "Well, what if I...What if I said that the reason Emily and I broke up is because I am, too? Gay, that is. What if I told you I was gay?"

Harry's heart was beating wildly in his chest and he was pretty sure he'd stopped breathing.

"Harry?"

Harry shook his head, clearing his thoughts a bit, "Are you?"

"Just...What if I was?" Louis asked.

"No, Lou, I'm not answering that." Harry shook his head. "Are you or aren't you?"

"I...am. I am." Louis said, biting his lip with what Harry could only assume were nerves.

"I don't get it." Harry shook his head.

"What don't you get?"

"What about Emily?"

"I just...Harry, I didn't..." Louis trailed off, closing his eyes and rolling over so he was lying on his back, not looking at Harry. "I didn't want to be gay? I guess that was it. I knew I was, but I forced myself to spend all this time with Em because I wanted it to go away. Because...Because it's not just liking blokes, really, that's the problem. It's liking you."

"What?" Harry asked, brow furrowing. He lifted himself up onto his elbows so he was looking down at Louis.

"I fancy you a bit, I guess, is what I'm saying." Louis said.

"You guess?"

"No, Harry, I know. I know I do. Why are you making this so difficult?"

Harry smiled down at the older boy before leaning down to kiss him gently, and he was smiling against Louis' lips, and it was his first kiss, and he had no clue what he was doing, so he pulled away quickly.

"I fancy you, too." He said, though he couldn't even hear himself, his heart beating loudly in his ears.

"You mean it?"

"Are you stupid, Louis?!" Harry asked. "Of course I mean it."

"Suppose I should get out of your bed then, hm? Anne wouldn't be too happy if she knew."

Harry shrugged, "It'd be okay, I think. We just woke up."

"Would it be okay if I kissed you again?"

"With mum or with me?" Harry smiled.

"Both." Louis said.

"With me, it's fine. With mum...Does it matter?"

Louis shook his head, placing a gentle hand on each of Harry's cheeks and leaning in to press their lips together properly, and Louis seemed to be a bit more experienced in this than Harry was, and so Harry just followed his lead and everything was fine, soft lips moving together, and Louis slipping his tongue into the tangle every once in a while, which caused Harry's hand to twitch a little involuntarily from where it had come up to rest on top of Louis' own on his face.

Louis pulled away after a moment, and his eyes were a little glossy, and Harry was pretty sure his looked the same.

"Kissing you is a lot better than kissing girls." Louis told him.

"Kissing you is a lot better than...Everything." Harry said, and Louis laughed.

Later that day they told Anne and Gemma, and Anne simply smiled and told them no more sleepovers, while Gemma exclaimed a loud "I knew it!", and Harry wondered how his big sister had come to know him so terrifyingly well.

They told Jay, and she was just as happy for them as Anne, and everything was perfect and wonderful, and Harry finally had Louis, and nothing could make him happier.

000

The years passed, and they went to prom together four times, twice during Louis' last two years at school, and twice during Harry's, Louis coming back from Uni especially for it. On the last prom they attended together, they had both lost their virginity to each other, and it was a little bit more magical than Harry had ever imagined it would be, and Louis started looking at him like he was a little more perfect than he'd thought he was before.

When Harry graduated, he ended up going to the same Uni as Louis, and they got a little apartment together in London, just a few blocks away from the school.

They got in a few spats after they moved in together, one of which resulted in Louis going and staying at a friend's house for three nights and leaving Harry feeling cold and lonely and miserable, but he had come back and they had apologized.

They tried not to fight too much, because it honestly just hurt too much for them to bare it. But as it is with any couple, they still fought. That was inevitable. But they always made up before going to sleep and made sure that the other knew how much they loved them.

After they both finished Uni, they got jobs. Harry working as a teacher's assistant, and Louis working as a stage manager at a local theatre. With the money they earned from their jobs they were able to buy a slightly bigger apartment in a better part of town.

It was Harry's twenty fifth birthday now, and he and Louis were out for dinner. They'd just had a lovely meal of steak, and Louis had ordered some fancy dessert that Harry had quite honestly never heard of before, but it sounded like it would have chocolate in it, so it had to be good.

Louis poured Harry a little more of the wine he'd bought, and Harry wondered why Louis was making everything so extravagant today. He had birthdays every year and they never did anything so special. Usually just ordered a pizza and had some cheap wine and watched a film or something, but Louis was going all out this year.

As soon as the desserts were put in front of them, Harry took a bite, and it was absolutely delicious.

Louis got out of his seat, and Harry assumed he was going to the toilet, but then he was standing in front of him, and he knelt down, holding a small box in his hand, and Harry's breath caught in his chest. Was Louis doing what he thought he was doing?

"Harry Edward Styles." Louis began, and Louis never used his full name, so this must be what he thought it was. Louis opened the box, and sure enough, inside was a small silver band. "We've been together practically forever, and I was starting to think it was a bit ridiculous how long you were taking to just pop the damn question, so I thought I'd ask instead."

Harry rolled his eyes, because honestly, this was the worst proposal he'd ever heard.

"I love you with all my heart and then some, and it would make me happier than anything in the world if I could call you my husband. Will you marry me?"

Harry was crying now, and he felt stupid, because it wasn't that great of a proposal. It was cheeky and teasing and stupid, but that's who Louis was, and Harry loved Louis. And maybe he wasn't crying because of the proposal itself. Maybe he was crying because of the man who had done the proposing. Because he loved Louis more than anything in the world, and Louis was offering to commit himself to Harry for life.

"Of course." Harry nodded, a watery smile on his face. "Of course I'll marry you."

"Good." Louis sighed, slipping the ring onto Harry's finger, and the entire restaurant began to cheer.

"God, everyone was watching." Harry muttered as Louis pulled him into an embrace.

"I hope someone filmed it and puts it on the internet with some cheesy title like 'Gay proposal at restaurant, watch the curly haired one cry, the shorter one is quite cheeky'."

Harry laughed, "Can you even make video titles that long?"

"If you can't, then the world is missing out."

"You're an idiot." Harry smiled.

"But you love me." Louis pecked him on the cheek, going to sit down across from him once more.

"That I do."

000

Seven months passed, and Harry was standing in his changing room, getting ready to marry the love of his life. The only man he'd ever loved, and the only man he had ever needed to love to know that he was the one for him. He was straightening his bow tie when his mum walked into the room.

"Ready, love?"

Harry shook his hair out, brushing his fringe off to the side and tugging a bit on his suit jacket, "Ready." He smiled.

Anne led him out of the room and into the small room in the church where their wedding was taking place. They had decided that since Louis proposed, he would also walk down the aisle, keeping things a bit fair, each of them taking a bit of the stereotypical "male" part of getting married.

Harry stood at the altar, and the music began to play, and Louis was walking down the aisle towards him, exactly twenty years after the first day they'd met.

He looked amazing, his caramel hair done up in a perfect quiff, his blue eyes locking on Harry's green ones, a bright smile gracing his face as he made his way closer and closer to him.

He stood in front of Harry and they held hands, and Harry was vaguely aware of the priest talking, but he only registered enough to come in with the "I do", too lost in Louis' eyes to really think about anything else.

He slipped the ring on Louis' finger, and they'd both agreed to have a little inscription on the inside of each of them. Louis' said "Best."

And as Louis said "I do" himself, he slipped a ring on Harry's finger which read "Friends."

Because even though they were so much more than that now; Lovers, husbands, each other's entire world, when it all came right down to it, they were and always would be each other's best friends.


End file.
